‘Big-boy ball’ approach has sparked Raiders’ running game

Updated 5:13 pm, Thursday, December 28, 2017

In the week leading up to their game against the Eagles, Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio said he emphasized two themes to players, one being “that we wanted to be physical.”

For the Raiders’ offense, that meant running the ball against the top-ranked rushing defense in the NFL. And the form it took Monday night was one not often seen from the Raiders this season.

The Raiders came out for their first play with an extra offensive tackle and two tight ends lined up to the left side of their line and proceeded to spend much of the game in heavier personnel groupings. Playing what head coach Del Rio called “big-boy ball,” the Raiders rushed for 137 yards in a 19-10 loss against an Eagles defense that had been allowing 71.5 rushing yards per game.

It was the kind of will-imposing performance the Raiders have not received as often this season from an offensive line with three Pro Bowl selections. The Raiders were without Pro Bowl left tackle Donald Penn (foot surgery) and lost backup tackle Vadal Alexander after four snaps with a concussion. But they continued to load up with tight ends Jared Cook (52 snaps), Lee Smith (44) and Pharaoh Brown (21, in his NFL debut), whose roles were reflected by their combined receiving total of three catches on five targets.

“When you get in that big formation there’s kind of a purveying overall attitude like, ‘We’re about to mash it,’” right tackle Marshall Newhouse said. “We were doing that a lot.”

Photo: Chris Szagola, Associated Press

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Oakland Raiders' Marshawn Lynch rushes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Oakland Raiders' Marshawn Lynch rushes during the first half of an NFL football game against the Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Photo: Chris Szagola, Associated Press

‘Big-boy ball’ approach has sparked Raiders’ running game

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The Raiders rank 25th in rushing offense at 96.6 yards per game going into their season finale against the Chargers. And while their offense is not constructed to rely heavily on a bruising running game, coordinator Todd Downing said there were aspects of Monday’s performance that could carry over.

“Anytime you do something well, you gain some confidence in it and it becomes something that you will fall back on in the future,” Downing said.

“We wanted to get in some big-boy groupings and go after them a little bit, and I think we accomplished that. We ran the ball well, moved the line of scrimmage well. We certainly have to tie up some ball-security issues, but other than that we accomplished what we wanted to in the running game, so we’re definitely pleased with that and look forward to it in the future.”

Any improvements are coming too late for the Raiders, who will not return to the playoffs after last year’s 12-win season. But a strong rushing game Sunday could benefit the Raiders, and one player in particular.

The offense will be facing a Chargers defense ranked last in the NFL against the run, allowing an average of 132.9 yards per game, though head coach Anthony Lynn said this week he believes his team has been “defending the run a lot better” recently. After giving up an average of 152 rushing yards in their first six games, the Chargers have averaged 119.8 over their past nine.

Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch, meanwhile, is on the verge of a career milestone. With 98 rushing yards Sunday, Lynch would reach 10,000 yards for his career. He would become the 31st NFL player to reach that mark and the fourth active player, along with Frank Gore, Adrian Peterson and LeSean McCoy.

Lynch set his season high of 101 yards on 17 carries against the Giants in Week 13 and totaled 95 yards on 25 carries Monday night in Philadelphia. Chargers defensive coordinator Gus Bradley told local reporters Thursday that Lynch still looks to be running strong late in the year.

“I think Marshawn Lynch looks better now than he did earlier in the season,” Bradley said. “He’s really showing up. He’s running hard, physical, with that anger that I know I’m accustomed to seeing. So he’s playing really well for them, as well as their offensive line.”